Wierd reaction to Wicca being speyed

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 14th February 2011, 10:34 AM

After several false starts I finally managed to get Wicca to the vets last week to be speyed and chipped. Op all went well, she's back home and has been as good as gold with the wound and pretty much left it alone (no need for the undignified plastic lampshade, mercifully). I knew Freyja would hiss at her when Wicca returned from the vets as she has done after previous visits, and I guessed that it would be a little worse this time as Wicca was a) at the vets longer; b) in the kennels with other animals whilst waking up, and c) Wicca had more than just the vets antisceptic smells on her but would smell of surgical stuff too. However, Wicca's now been home since Friday evening and Freyja is behaving as though I've brought a new cat into the house - she's still hissing and growling at Wicca, and is back to treating me in much the same way. I must confess, whilst I expected a bit of unpleasantness until maybe Saturday afternoon, I'm boggled that she's still behaving this way two days later. I even took the precaution of securing Wicca in our spare bedroom to keep them apart, and I bunked in with her Friday to keep her company. Saturday and Sunday, OH kept her company and bunked in with her overnight. He did try to leave them to get on with things last night but could hear Freyja hissing at Wicca and promptly collected her and the litter tray and squirrelled her away with him in the spare room again.

So my question: is this a common reaction? Is it safe to assume that things will return to normal? Any suggestions for how to handle Freyja in the meantime? To be fair to Freyja, there's no physical aggression directed at Wicca - just constant hissing, growling and this funny little stuttering meow she makes - so I don't think Wicca's in any danger. But Wicca's a lot less gung-ho about it this time around than when she first moved in, and seems more nervous (which is one of the reasons why I'm keeping them seperated). All suggestions will be gratefully received!

**Howlinbob** · 14th February 2011, 02:48 PM

Oh dear Karen, I'm sorry to hear your girls are not getting on. I don't know what practical things might work, other than the old one of giving them time. This is exactly why our breeder (and vet) told us to get our lads neutered at the same time. But as your girls are different ages, you had no choice in the matter. Seems like you have a repeat of the problems you had when Wicca was the new cat. It all settled down before, so I'm sure it will resolve itself again. Try not to get too worried, and keep the atmosphere at home calm, calm, calm! (easier said than done I know!) Sorry I can't be more useful, I expect Jackie will have some great tips for you when she gets a chance. Keep us posted xxxx

**mcguy** · 14th February 2011, 04:11 PM

We have one one girl who pretty regularly acts as if she doesn't know the others after they are away at vet for a while--hissing and avoiding. On the other hand, our male kitten Zephyr was at vet for a week after emergency surgery but the instant he came home his "brother" Remy recognized him and was overjoyed. It seems like Allie was touchy around Bella for a day or so one time when Bella had some procedure--that was the longest. Perhaps some cats' sense of recognition are more scent based than others? Sounds like a good idea to help Wicca avoid being harassed while she recovers. Hopefully things will settle down.

**WoodsideMaineCoons** · 14th February 2011, 04:41 PM

What a shame - Freyja will clearly remember who Wicca is as their long-term memories for appearance are much better than previously thought. However, Freyja seems unable to link the visual appearance with the much more obviously changed scent of Wicca.

I would suggest using a little bit of talcum powder on both cats so that their individual scents are a little more neutralised and also rub under wicca's chin and transfer this scent onto Freyja and vice versa.

Hopefully it will only be a matter of time but it may just be that Freyja doesn't like change and will take a while to settle down.

**jckkerrison** · 14th February 2011, 04:48 PM

So sorry things have sparked off again Karen,why do they do this to us,I know they smell different when they come back from the vets but to still be so upset this length of time after makes you think that Freya could be playing on it a bit & liking the fact that she is Queen Bee again,Wicca will appear more nervous because she won't be aware of "why" Freya is seemingly against her so suddenly.I would try & let them be together again because from Freya's point of view she is getting what she wants by hissing & the longer Wicca is kept away from her she is going to get more sub-servant but they both need to find that common ground again as quickly as possible, although it will be hard just ignore them & carry on as usual & as Louisa says try to keep calm about it all.Not easy I know,Merlyn still hisses a lot at Shimba because he is aware Shims is top cat & doesn't like it,we just ignore it now because if we have been out & when we come home we peep in the window to see what they are up too, invaribly Merl is wrapped round Shimba,until we open the door that is..!
If you don't think things are going to settle you could always try Feliway or give Zylkene to Freya but I don't think there will be any need,I think when madam realises life has resumed as normal she will get on with it ,not saying there still won't be a few hisses on the way though,good luck with them both,joys of being parents to furries xxx

**Rachel-C** · 14th February 2011, 04:51 PM

Oh dear Karen, sorry you are having this problem. We didn't experience anything similar with Monty when he came back from the vets, though Gracie did have a very good and long sniff because obviously he smelled of vets, surgical stuff and possibly other animals.

As the others have said, I've no doubt Freya will be fine with her in a few days - I'm sure she's likely just having a bit of a 'princess' moment and probably thinks that Wicca is getting all the fuss - funny how their minds work. I'm sure she and Gracie were cut from the same cloth with their diva moments!

I was going to suggest rubbing a clean towel over Freya and then rubbing Wicca with this to see if transfering her scent might make a difference.

I wonder if I'd be less likely to separate them as this might just be encouraging Freya to continue with her behaviour. If it were me I would probably be looking at supervision in the same room, with you fussing one and hubby the other - then maybe a change around.

Hope you get it resolved soon - I remember how awful I felt when Gracie copped the hump with me for a few weeks - but as you and I know, this will pass and she'll be back to her affectionate self and the both of them will be running rings around you in no time, I'm sure.

Take care

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 14th February 2011, 05:35 PM

Thanks guys. I'm not overly worried as I'm fairly confident it will settle back down again; Freyja took to a brand new cat once before, so I'm sure she can do it again (even if the rest of us know that the 'new' cat is actually good old Spider Monkey.

You have given me some good food for thought though... initially, the only reason I decided to keep the two cats apart was to give Wicca chance to heal for a day or two before the usual wrestling and stampeding started - Freyja didn't behave like a freshly spayed cat when she was down and ended up with a seroma, and I wanted to avoid a repeat for the more-insane-and-more-mischievious Wicca, but perhaps my locking myself away with her triggered jealousy in Freyja again. The ideas of talc and towel rubbing for scent purposes are good ones and I'll give those a go later this evening. I also think Jackie's idea of supervised access is a good one, and the co-ordinated petting!

I also hadn't considered the possibility that HRH Freyja might be milking it a bit, which given her past performances was a pretty stupid thing to overlook!

Thanks again. I know it'll all sort itself out, and am genuinely not stressed about it; but the suggestions might help things along a bit quicker. I'll report back in a day or two, so watch this space!!

**Rachel-C** · 14th February 2011, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by FreyjaRoMaine

I also hadn't considered the possibility that HRH Freyja might be milking it a bit, which given her past performances was a pretty stupid thing to overlook!

Karen - I'm shocked ... how can you possibly consider that the little 'princess' could even consider such a devious act

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 14th February 2011, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Rachel-C

Karen - I'm shocked ... how can you possibly consider that the little 'princess' could even consider such a devious act

I know, I know, you're right... I should be ashamed of myself, and have already ordered a new Cat-o-nine-tails from Amazon so I can flay myself for hours on end; it's the only way I can deal with the guilt...

PrimaDonna (no longer PsychoKitty, me thinks) must be laughing her furry a**e off at my expense...!

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 17th February 2011, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by candes

Oh gosh Deja Vue. I bet you won't be getting a new kitty any time soon. Can your nerves handle it? Yes the scent business is the maine cause of the problems. And Freyja has a fragile tempermant that gets set off very easily. I hate to break it to ya, but she is now a primo psycho kitty.

All kidding aside now. I have yet another idea. Is there anything Wicca loves but hasn't touched since her return? If the talc doesn't work, rub those items all over her. And try not to smother "poor wounded", Wicca with extra attention while Freyja is around. Is is human nature to nurture. But Freyja doen't understand this, and is jealous.

Tell me about it! We didn't have any talc so I tried the towel instead, along with equal petting and fuss between the two cats. I also tried the previously awesome technique you suggested and told Wicca off in front of Freyja. Went out for dinner Tuesday night, and by the time we came home, things had returned to normal. Wicca was good enough to pretend that she hadn't noticed Freyja had wigged out on her, and Freyja didn't seem to realise that the odd smelling cat and her old mate Wicca were one and the same. They were so chuffed to be creating mischief together again that neither of them remembered to come into our bedroom at 4am and tread on my face. So I even got a lay in...

Hurrah. I'm NEVER getting another cat though, and when Wicca gets her final check up Saturday at the vets I'm going to ask them if I can co-ordinate their annual boosters for the same day to avoid a repeat performance from Prima Psycho. It'll mean Freyja's will be a few months overdue and Wicca's will be a few months early, but that's got to be better than an annual huff from PsychoKitty!!